The present invention relates generally to fuel tanks for vehicles and, more particularly, to a cover assembly for a fuel delivery module in a fuel tank of a vehicle.
It is known to provide a fuel tank in a vehicle to hold fuel to be used by an engine of the vehicle. In such a fuel tank, a cover is provided for a fuel delivery module to seal an opening through which the fuel delivery module has been assembled into the fuel tank. In some cases, the fuel delivery module consists only of a cover/flange to which either an electrical fuel pump and/or a mechanism for indicating fuel is attached. Recently, the trend has been to construct fuel delivery modules with an integral reservoir. Various valves, sensors, pressure regulators, as well as filters have been added over time. In some fuel tanks, a fuel limiting vent valve and other vent valves required for venting the fuel tank are mounted in the fuel tank and vented to a vehicle carbon canister.
The fill limiting vent valve (FLVV), as one of its functions, seals a vent of the fuel tank if the vehicle rolls over in an accident. In an accident, however, a side of the fuel tank may be crumpled and the FLVV impacted. The impact could damage or disconnect the FLVV, leaving an opening through which fuel may escape.
One attempt to solve this problem is to mount the FLVV to the fuel tank. In this configuration, a connector allows the FLVV to move with the tank, without being damaged. However, this configuration is not practical to allow the FLVV to be mounted on the reservoir assembly of the fuel delivery module because it leaves the valves mounted on the reservoir assembly vulnerable to damage.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a cover assembly for a fuel delivery module of a fuel tank to mount a fill limiting vent valve for venting of the fuel tank. It is also desirable to provide a cover assembly for a fuel delivery module of a fuel tank that allows a fill limiting vent valve to move relative to the fuel tank. It is further desirable to provide a cover assembly for a fuel delivery module of a fuel tank with a fill limiting vent valve, which moves with a side of the fuel tank without damage or disengagement.
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new cover assembly for a fuel delivery module in a fuel tank of a vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cover assembly for a fuel delivery module that incorporates a fill limiting vent valve that is allowed to move.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a cover assembly for a fuel delivery module in a fuel tank of a vehicle including a cover adapted to close an opening in the fuel tank and an internal port operatively supported by the cover. The cover assembly also includes a fill limiting vent valve attached to the internal port to vent the fuel tank through the cover. The internal port includes at least one convolute therein.
One advantage of the present invention is that a new cover assembly is provided for a fuel delivery module in a fuel tank of a vehicle that incorporates a fill limiting vent valve by eliminating the mounting of a fill limiting vent valve to the reservoir assembly in the fuel tank. Another advantage of the present invention is that the cover assembly allows the fill limiting vent valve to move relative to the fuel tank. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the cover assembly allows the fill limiting vent valve to move with a side of the fuel tank without damage or disengagement. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the cover assembly can also be used to house and retain a fill limiting vent valve.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.